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The Gombe State government has announced the detection of 523 fictitious employees following the implementation of a biometric verification system for civil servants in the state.
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In a statement made during the inauguration of newly appointed biometric supervisors, Gombe Governor, Inuwa Yahaya, conveyed that the initiative, which commenced three years ago, has led to significant savings amounting to N1.5 billion by identifying non-existent workers.
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Governor Yahaya, represented by his deputy, Manassah Jatau, highlighted the deployment of 4,000 biometric attendance machines across all sectors as instrumental in uncovering these ghost workers.
According to the Nigerian News Agency (NAN) quoting Yahaya: “This innovative approach has thus far saved the government a monthly sum of N23,758,858 since 2021.”
He further noted the endorsement and backing of international bodies such as the World Bank and Development Partners like the Global Alliance for Vaccination and Immunization (GAVI), viewing the initiative as a benchmark for emulation.
Yahaya emphasized the adverse impact of this situation on the state’s social and economic development projects. Muhammad Magaji, the Commissioner for Finance, echoed similar sentiments, affirming that Gombe had garnered four million dollars through its fiscal transparency, accountability, and sustainability (SFTAS) program. Magaji underscored the significance of this achievement as a substantial investment for the administration’s commitment to enhancing citizen welfare.
The commissioner elaborated on the financial gains, stating, “Over 500 non-productive workers in Gombe state have been unveiled, resulting in a monthly saving of about N24 million and a cumulative saving of over N1 billion.” He clarified that the funds retrieved through this initiative were directed towards settling promotion arrears and outstanding gratuities, dispelling misconceptions regarding the government’s intentions to reduce expenditure by removing workers from the payroll.
Magaji emphasized Gombe’s exemplary status in payroll management and highlighted the recruitment of 305 youths as a testament to the benefits of financial management reforms. He urged the supervisors to execute their duties with utmost professionalism, cautioning against negligence and corrupt practices, with a stern warning of replacement for any deviation from the set standards.
